James Gunn Confirmed To Direct Superman: Legacy

When James Gunn announced at the end of January that he was writing "Superman Legacy" — the first Man of Steel installment in the "Gods and Monsters" film series he's spearheading as part of the DC Universe alongside his DC Studios co-head and producer Peter Safran — expectation was rampant that he would direct the movie as well. So we believed, and so it shall be.

Gunn confirmed via his Twitter account that he will take the helm of "Superman Legacy," which is currently set to fly into theaters on July 11, 2025. This is a date that has tremendous personal resonance for Gunn. We'll get to that in a second.

Plot details are obviously scarce two years prior to release, but here's what WB shared via a press release today:

"'Superman Legacy' tells the story of Superman's journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned."

This sounds like the Superman we need more than ever, and judging from his comments on Twitter, Gunn is committed to giving us the Krypton-born beacon of hope we've been missing on the big screen since Christopher Reeve exited the role.

James Gunn kicked off his Twitter thread with a classic image from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's beloved "All-Star Superman." He also noted that his brother Matt called his attention to something he had inexplicably overlooked: the July 11 release date is his dad's birthday. The thread only gets more emotional from here, so grab some Kleenex.

"I lost my Dad almost three years ago," wrote Gunn. "He was my best friend. He didn't understand me as a kid, but he supported my love of comics and my love of film and I wouldn't be making this movie now without him." Gunn then revealed that he turned down a Superman project years ago because "I didn't have a way in that felt unique and fun and emotional that gave Superman the dignity he deserved." He finally found his idea a year ago, which is "in many ways centering around Superman's heritage — how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes."

He credited Peter Safran with pestering him to direct the movie, which sounds like a labor of profound love. He closed his thread with this: "But, the long and the short of it is, I love this script, and I'm incredibly excited as we begin this journey. #UpUpAndAway"

If I'm in tears after reading a press blast, this movie could very well shred me emotionally. Let's get excited. The Superman we need could very well be soaring back into our lives to save the day — or, at least, potentially kicking Gunn and Safran's DCU off with a bang.